US backpackers’ dream trip ends in tragedy after deadly lightning strike at Mt Warning
BACKPACKER Michele Segalla, on the holiday of a lifetime, spent hours huddled and crying beside the body of partner Sam Beattie after he was killed by a lightning strike.
Gold Coast
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BACKPACKER Michele Segalla, on the holiday of a lifetime, spent more than three hours huddled and crying beside the body of her partner Sam Beattie after he was killed by lightning on the summit of rugged Mt Warning early yesterday morning.
Camped in a small tent at the top of the 1156m mountain, just south of the Queensland-NSW border, the American couple were just eight weeks into their gap-year trip.
About 3.50am Queensland time, lightning hit the tree to which the couple’s tent was tied.
Mr Beattie, 24, who had been resting his feet on the tree, was killed instantly.
Just 15 minutes later, two hikers arrived at the summit and heard a distraught Ms Segalla, 23, crying in the tent, her hair singed from the heat of the lightning and with other minor injuries.
One of the hikers turned around and raced back down the slippery, windy and narrow track for help, while the second man began CPR on Mr Beattie.
He continued with the life-saving attempt for more than an hour before giving up.
The other hiker managed to receive a signal on his mobile phone when part-way down the 8.8km track, which can take up to three hours to negotiate, and called 000.
SES volunteers and paramedics then climbed to the top as police co-ordinated the rescue operation from the base of the mountain.
Sam and Michele had packed their lives into five bags on October 5 and had flown to Sydney for a 12-month backpacking trip.
They bought a van, dubbed Barry White, in which they planned to live as they travelled along the coast, camping near the beach each night.
“Still a lot of work to do/ideas to explore, but we’re finally on the road,” Mr Beattie posted on social media.
The pair arrived on the Gold Coast early last month but wasted no time in visiting Stradbroke Island, Point Lookout and Rainbow Beach, before driving to Byron Bay a few days ago.
Not even having a moon boot on his right foot early in their adventure could stop Sam from joining Michele and sliding down a Currumbin water hole, referring to it as “#rehab”. They swam with dolphins at Stradbroke Island and last Tuesday sipped wine in the Gold Coast Hinterland.
Australia was just another tick on the bucket list for Sam, who had already fished for sharks, belly-flopped into water from cliffs and trekked through rock trails.
A quote on Michele’s Instagram bio summed up the pair’s fearless lifestyle.
“You never slow down, you never grow old,” it read.
SES chaplain Paul von Bratt said the young woman was taking it hard and was in the care of a “support network”.
A crew of 15 SES volunteers carried Mr Beattie’s body down the mountain in a delicate retrieval mission.
Police had attempted to get a helicopter to land near the summit but strong winds meant crews had no choice but to stretcher the backpacker down.
Mr Beattie’s father was told of the tragedy when he landed in Australia yesterday afternoon. He is in the country for a prearranged business trip and had planned to visit his son.
It is not known if Mr Beattie’s body will be returned to the US and police are preparing a report for the coroner.
Camping is prohibited at Mt Warning but police said they passed no judgment and the incident was a “terrible tragedy”.
Tweed Heads Police Superintendent Wayne Starling praised the efforts of two good Samaritan teenagers from Queensland who went to the couple’s aid.
“Not long after the lightning struck, two teenagers were hiking up the summit and they have come across the scene,” he said.
“The two rendered first aid to the man for at least an hour but unfortunately they could not bring him back.
“It was traumatic for them and they did their best.
“They should hold no baggage over what happened on the mountain.”
It is believed the couple climbed Mt Warning on Monday afternoon, to spend the night and watch the sunrise yesterday.
It is a popular activity for many tourists.
A lack of mobile phone coverage in the area is thought to be a possible reason they were not aware of the impending storm which raged across the NSW far north coast and the Gold Coast in the early hours.
Supt Starling said it was a tragedy, regardless of whether the couple should have been there or not.
Bree Williams, of the nearby town of Uki, said inexperienced hikers and international tourists were often caught out on the mountain.
“People just don’t realise how dangerous it can be,” she said.
“Camping is banned for a reason and some locals believe the mountain should not even be climbed – that it is sacred.
“There are indigenous stories about warrior chiefs’ spirits on the mountain and it is said that thunder and lightning are the effect of their battles.”
The Mt Warning walking track reopened this morning after being closed for about 24 hours..
Supt Starling said anyone planning a hike should check the forecasts, be well prepared with equipment and stay aware of the surroundings.
He said it was a sad job for local emergency service personnel, many of whom had children of a similar age to the American couple.
“When people are at their worst, rescue services are at their best,” he said.
“But it is hard for them, especially when it hits close to home like this.”
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